diff --git a/R/plot_trace.R b/R/plot_trace.R
index 402eacaa..d6a5a1b2 100644
--- a/R/plot_trace.R
+++ b/R/plot_trace.R
@@ -1,39 +1,39 @@
 #' Plot the trace lines of the imputation algorithm
 #'
 #' @param data An object of class [mice::mids].
-#' @param vrb String, vector, or unquoted expression with variable name(s), default is "all".
+#' @param vrb String, vector, or unquoted expression with variable name(s),
+#'   default is "all".
 #'
 #' @details
 #' The `vrb` argument is "quoted" via [rlang::enexpr()] and evaluated according
-#' to [Tidy Evaluation principles](https://adv-r.hadley.nz/metaprogramming.html).
+#' to [tidy evaluation principles](https://adv-r.hadley.nz/metaprogramming.html).
 #' In practice, this technical nuance only affects users when passing an object
 #' from the environment (e.g., a vector of variable names) to the `vrb` argument.
 #' In such cases, the object must be "unquoted" via the `!!` prefix operator.
 #'
-#' @return An object of class [ggplot2::ggplot].
+#' @returns An object of class [ggplot2::ggplot].
 #'
 #' @examples
+#' # create [mice::mids] object with [mice::mice()]
 #' imp <- mice::mice(mice::nhanes, print = FALSE)
 #'
-#' ## Plot all imputed variables
+#' # plot trace lines for all imputed columns
 #' plot_trace(imp)
 #'
-#' ## Variables can be specified via character vectors comprising their names
+#' # plot trace lines for specific columns by supplying a string or character vector
 #' plot_trace(imp, "bmi")
 #' plot_trace(imp, c("bmi", "hyp"))
-#'
-#' ## Variable names can be unquoted
+
+#' # plot trace lines for specific columns by supplying unquoted variable names
 #' plot_trace(imp, bmi)
 #' plot_trace(imp, c(bmi, hyp))
 #'
-#' ## When passing the variable names as an object from the environment, the
-#' ## object's name must be unqoted via `!!`.
-#' vars <- c("bmi", "hyp")
-#' plot_trace(imp, vars) |> try() # Error
-#' plot_trace(imp, !!vars)        # Runs because the 'vrb' argument is unquoted
-#'
-#' for(v in vars)
-#'   plot_trace(imp, !!v) |> print()
+#' # plot trace lines for specific columns by passing an object with variable names
+#' # from the environment, unquoted with `!!`
+#' my_variables <- c("bmi", "hyp")
+#' plot_trace(imp, !!my_variables)
+#' # object with variable names must be unquoted with `!!`
+#' try(plot_trace(imp, my_variables))
 #'
 #' @export
 plot_trace <- function(data, vrb = "all") {
@@ -58,17 +58,20 @@ plot_trace <- function(data, vrb = "all") {
   if (length(vrb) == 1 && as.character(vrb) == "all") {
     vrb <- varlist
   }
-  if (any(vrb %nin% colnames(data$data))) {
+  if (all(vrb %nin% colnames(data$data))) {
     cli::cli_abort(
       c(
-        "x" = "The following variables are not present in 'data':",
-        " " = paste(setdiff(vrb, colnames(data$data)), collapse = ", "),
-        "i" = "Did you forget to use `!!` to unqote the object name you passed to the `vrb` argument?",
-        "i" = "Or maybe you just made a typo?"
+        "x" = "Variable name(s) not found in {.code data}.",
+        "i" = "If you supply an object with variable names from the environment, use `!!` to unqote:",
+        " " = paste0("{.code vrb = !!", vrb, "}")
       )
     )
   }
-
+  if (any(vrb %nin% colnames(data$data))) {
+    cli::cli_abort(c("x" = "The following variables are not present in {.code data}:", " " = paste(setdiff(
+      vrb, colnames(data$data)
+    ), collapse = ", ")))
+  }
   if (any(vrb %nin% varlist)) {
     cli::cli_inform(
       c(
diff --git a/man/plot_trace.Rd b/man/plot_trace.Rd
index f0eb9a96..43848fbc 100644
--- a/man/plot_trace.Rd
+++ b/man/plot_trace.Rd
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ plot_trace(data, vrb = "all")
 \arguments{
 \item{data}{An object of class \link[mice:mids-class]{mice::mids}.}
 
-\item{vrb}{String, vector, or unquoted expression with variable name(s), default is "all".}
+\item{vrb}{String, vector, or unquoted expression with variable name(s),
+default is "all".}
 }
 \value{
 An object of class \link[ggplot2:ggplot]{ggplot2::ggplot}.
@@ -19,32 +20,30 @@ Plot the trace lines of the imputation algorithm
 }
 \details{
 The \code{vrb} argument is "quoted" via \code{\link[rlang:defusing-advanced]{rlang::enexpr()}} and evaluated according
-to \href{https://adv-r.hadley.nz/metaprogramming.html}{Tidy Evaluation principles}.
+to \href{https://adv-r.hadley.nz/metaprogramming.html}{tidy evaluation principles}.
 In practice, this technical nuance only affects users when passing an object
 from the environment (e.g., a vector of variable names) to the \code{vrb} argument.
 In such cases, the object must be "unquoted" via the \verb{!!} prefix operator.
 }
 \examples{
+# create [mice::mids] object with [mice::mice()]
 imp <- mice::mice(mice::nhanes, print = FALSE)
 
-## Plot all imputed variables
+# plot trace lines for all imputed columns
 plot_trace(imp)
 
-## Variables can be specified via character vectors comprising their names
+# plot trace lines for specific columns by supplying a string or character vector
 plot_trace(imp, "bmi")
 plot_trace(imp, c("bmi", "hyp"))
-
-## Variable names can be unquoted
+# plot trace lines for specific columns by supplying unquoted variable names
 plot_trace(imp, bmi)
 plot_trace(imp, c(bmi, hyp))
 
-## When passing the variable names as an object from the environment, the
-## object's name must be unqoted via `!!`.
-vars <- c("bmi", "hyp")
-plot_trace(imp, vars) |> try() # Error
-plot_trace(imp, !!vars)        # Runs because the 'vrb' argument is unquoted
-
-for(v in vars)
-  plot_trace(imp, !!v) |> print()
+# plot trace lines for specific columns by passing an object with variable names
+# from the environment, unquoted with `!!`
+my_variables <- c("bmi", "hyp")
+plot_trace(imp, !!my_variables)
+# object with variable names must be unquoted with `!!`
+try(plot_trace(imp, my_variables))
 
 }